The Portland-based musician is coming to Salem and will rock the Elsinore stage with her band, Le Bonheur, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19.

Large is a woman with many titles — singer, actress, author, playwright. She gained national attention on "Rockstar: Supernova" in 2006 and has performed around the world with her band and as a guest vocalist for Pink Martini. She starred in Portland Center Stage’s production of "Cabaret" and wrote and starred in her autobiographical musical memoir, "Crazy Enough," which had a sold-out 21-week run in Portland and became a published book in 2012.

But, before that, she was just a young girl with no plans and raw talent.

A musician in the making

Large initially studied acting at American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York until she realized that she was more of a musician.

After graduation, she threw her things in a bag and drove across the country to San Francisco with a friend.

"I had no plans," she said. "So, a 21-year-old with no plans in a new city, basically I just spent my time having sex and doing drugs."

Storm Large

Storm Large

Photos by Laura Domela – All Rights Reserved

For a brief period, Large said, she was addicted to heroin. In an attempt to get out of a nose dive, she performed one song with her friend's band one night. That one song would end up changing her life.

She had musicians asking if she would be in their band, and although she did not know if she would be a good musician, it was better than her situation at the time.

She toured along the West Coast for a few years, but after Sept. 11, Large decided to quit music and find a career that would help people.

She only made it about six months until she started playing music again.

"I kind of realized that I was helping human beings by singing and making people feel good and happy," she said.

A string of coincidences led her to move to Portland in 2002, one being when Frank Faillace, who owns Dante's in Portland, saw her at a show in San Francisco.

"(Frank) was in town and saw me sing one song this one time at this one place," she said. "He went up to my friend and said, 'You tell that Storm person that she has a job if she wants to come to Portland.' "

Large started bartending at Dante's, and at the time, she was still done with music until Dante's Wednesday night act quit unexpectedly.

So she put together a group that would become her band, The Balls, as a favor to Faillace, and they ended up being the club's standing Wednesday night gig.

From Portland to national television

In 2006, Large was one of 15 contestants on "Rockstar: Supernova," a reality television show where musicians competed to be the frontman of a supergroup formed by Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee, Metallica's Jason Newsted and Guns N' Roses' Gilby Clarke.

"I had heard about 'Rockstar: INXS,' which was the first iteration of the show, and everyone was like, ‘Oh my god, you need to be on this show,' " she said.

But she wasn't so sure: "I don’t watch TV, why would I want to be on TV?"

Then, she got a call from CBS. Someone had sent in a video of her performing at Dante's to the producers, and they wanted to meet with her about being on the show.

After meeting with the producers, talking with her band and putting her doubts about reality television aside, she decided to do the show.

"I (was) willing to take that risk because we could be the biggest club act out of Portland ever, but this will give us a national/international platform," Large said. "And it did just that."

Being on the show was intense, she said. They had no privacy, everyone was partying and she tried hard not to fall for the temptation.

Large ended up being a finalist, lasting all three months of the show. And although she did not win, her audience continued to grow.

Storm Large is a Portland-based singer, actress, author and playwright.

Storm Large is a Portland-based singer, actress, author and playwright.

Photos by Laura Domela – All Rights Reserved

A modern Renaissance woman

Following the show, Large embarked on many endeavors, including acting and becoming an author, along with continuing to perform.

"Crazy Enough: A Memoir" is about Large's life growing up with a mentally ill mother, the possibility of impending mental illness and how her talent helped her overcome it.

The title came from when Large saw a therapist to deal with upsetting memories coming up while she was writing the one-woman show, which came before the book.

After the initial session, she decided not to continue therapy while writing.

“I am crazy enough to do what I do, and if I were healthy and normal, I would not be a performer.”

-&nbspStorm Large

"I was like, you know, no, because I feel like I am crazy enough to do what I do, and if I were healthy and normal, I would not be a performer," she said.

It was during this time that Large made her debut as a guest vocalist for Pink Martini in 2011. She had stepped in for lead vocalist China Forbes, who could not perform due to surgery, for four shows at the Kennedy Center, where she had to learn 10 songs in five languages in four days.

She continues to perform with Pink Martini when she can and was featured on their album "Get Happy."

Despite her success, Large would never consider herself "cool" or "commercially popular." She takes her work seriously — but not herself.

"I think when people see someone on stage, they assume that they have this cool thing going on," she said. "But what I hope people get is that I am just a dork."

What is ladylike?

Large strives for a good performance and does not consider herself a "disciplined songwriter." You won't find her sitting at her piano and writing a song each day.

One of her singles, "Ladylike," which she debuted on "Rockstar: Supernova," was inspired by her experiences as a woman.

"I often get, 'what is it like to be a woman in this industry?’ " she said. "And I am like, ‘what is it like to be a woman anywhere?’ It is hard in a way that is hard to explain."

Storm Large will perform at the Elsinore Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19.

Storm Large will perform at the Elsinore Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19.

Photos by Laura Domela – All Rights Reserved

Large grew up surrounded by men, and she said that it was not until she was in her 30s that she bloomed, but she never lost her tomboy characteristics.

Before being on "Rockstar: Supernova," she had to get psychoanalyzed. The doctor found that she was a typical artist — "hypersexual, super sensitive, empathetic and a bit self-centered" — but he also found that she was very masculine in the way that she handled conflict and lived life.

"I have never been considered ladylike, I have always been big, loud, assertive," she said. "I have had my share of #MeToo moments. The fights that I have gotten in were dudes trying to grab me and I pummel them."

Large said that some women don't consider her a "good feminist" because of her "sexual obviousness" and using it to promote her singles and work.

"Why do I have to fill in these criteria when I have had to fight my whole life to be where I am?" she said.

This messy, beautiful life

Large was lonely and angry when she was younger, and music gave her a platform to heal herself. She hopes that her performances help heal her fans, letting them know that they are not alone.

"Life is messy, life is beautiful, but boy is it messy, weird, scary, lonely and you cannot predict the outcome," she said. "But, it is OK because no one can."

Being "crazy enough" allows Large to be a performer. However hard her job may be sometimes, to her it beats being married with kids and going to the same job every single day.

"Music literally saved my life, and my heart," she said. "It has been an endless journey of trying to be a good artist ... but I thank God for this ability that I have."